A Mirror To The Past

#91

Mirror Kata

Shuck continued chewing on the alchemists hand, despite the foul taste. This monster enjoyed inflicting pain and terror more than devouring anyone. And as that was all Shuck was interested in, having completed this minor task the legendary Black Dog let go and walked over to the Manticore, where he promptly sat down to stare at the woman without blinking.

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The Encampment

Mirror Swix was surprised at the outcome of her attack, but kept on with it since it seemed to be working so well that the Blue Mage just left her to it.

ES had to snap her neck back to keep her eye on the creature as it very quickly wove it's arm around her limb and held on to it as she brought it back up over her head for another hit. He also sprayed blood everywhere as he span around with her flailing tendril attached, which unfortunately landed right in her eyes and blinded her to the leg on it's collision course with her chest.

"Ugh-ARRGH!" she yelled, at first bringing up her arm to wipe the blood out of her eyes before feeling the kick and stumbling backwards at the force. Only the lower tendril that she shoved into the ground behind her stopping her from going over completely. She could still feel the creature wrapped around and being wrapped up by her tendril though. "If I have to dance to get you to stay away from me, then that's what I'll do!"

The Split sent the tendril that had him to the ground, meaning to smash him into the earth over and over again.

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Mirror Lake

Permafrosts eyes narrowed as the remaining possessed person grabbed hold of Aino and got close to the crystal with her, but put his snout closer to them anyway. "I don't know what happened to them, I was away trying to combat the darkness that had taken hold of our world long before-already two of the major heroes were missing. I was trying to find others to help, but when I got back everyone was gone. All I know is that that snake up there used to be one of our worlds heroes, but she was twisted into that thing and before I could get anymore than that out of her she fled in shame. What happened to you?"

#92

"Well that was entertaining!" The Manticore grinned, patting the black dog with his paw. "Must better than boring old campfire stories. Right Alex?"

He looked to the woman, still wearing a toothy smile over his extremely deadly fangs.

"Do you think your friends have reported in? Or do we see what other games we can play?"

Jent · #93

Pax (Eight Moons)

Relieved, she flexed her aching arm. All of the canine's damage dissipated, thanks to her philosophers' stone, leaving only a few alchemical marks showing witness to the restorative act. That still doesn't mean her forgiveness of Shuck.

Wavering, Alex loathed the thought of any mores games requiring her participation. All the abuse she dealt with so far were very vexing. Instead of such nonsense, she heard a rather obtrusive voice in her head. ~So, quite mess you made. Appears you are need of a lift, correct?~

Above the stone walls, a blazing glow summoned itself to the frigid air. The sphere shown little in description, except the revolving spiked wheel that orbited it in a vertical path. The alchemist scowled at the imposing figure, approaching it after the vibrant light dimmed considerably. "... They haven't found him, though an idea was proposed to locate him. Best to go over the plan on the trip to the other portal... is the dog coming along?"

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment

Quite smashing one might say. The woman's driven blows shattered several ribs of the host, all the while homunculus laughed hysterically. Oddly enough, the blood spilled forth only came from his mouth during the constant barrage, which quickly waned in volume. He righted himself whilst the flurry, matching Evil Swix's rhythm as he skipped along.

"A dance, you say? A dance, we may! Let's see how rough you play," the parasite snickered. Reeling back his head, several white spikes were spat from his mouth, directed at her legs.

Mirror Lake

The man fidgeted in the looming presence. Astonished, he fell to a slump, allowing the grieving spirit to faze out of the human's hold. Her smoky form scrambled to Miyuso, who hung over the enfeebled friend. "I.. I.." sputtering, his glazed eyes uneasily drifted out of sync, "there... it... AH!"

Spurn in a reversal, his voice blasted at the inquirer. "Why should I answer to you, dragon? Your kind has nothing been a plague to the star realm! Vile greed and malice, I'm amazed only one of you dark brutes even made it here. Why don't you finish the job and-GAH!" The man rasped, sweat beading off in the relapse. "Wise wurm... my last abode before the Fall was in Ojodopolis... A chasm tore through an apartment complex... *breaths* ... everyone fell. An endless fall where my body burned as if it was torn asunder.. then rebuilt again in a cycle of madness."

#94

Mirror Kata

Shuck watched the woman and then the new object with vague interest, and yawned when she asked if he was coming along widely. The Black Dog simply got up and loped off into the snow, to be taken back by its Master out of sight.

The Encampment

ES's eyes narrowed at seeing the thing dancing and laughing as she slammed him into the ground and felt the satisfying crunch of ribs breaking. Yet it didn't seem to phase him at all, he even started rhyming!

"What does it take to hurt you? GAH!" the Split yelled, after the spikes from Homunculus mouth hit her in both legs, making the sides ooze darker than normal red blood and making it hard to stand without leaning on the buried tendril for support.

The womans face curled into an ugly look as she lifted the tendril holding the thing up into the air before spinning it around. At least maybe she could make it dizzy, before slamming it into a tree.

Mirror Lake

Permafrost sighed whilst listening to the man's story. At least he'did let Aino go... If this man had been put back together in a cycle of madness, maybe that God of Insanity knew more than what this human could tell him.

"I am sorry" the Ice Dragon told him "what you have been through sounds truly dreadful. But, what of this stone? Why do you react to it so? And why were you attacking the golem here?"

#95

"Doesn't seem like it." The Manticore yawned, stretching and rising. "Where do we have to go?"

Jent · #96

Pax (Eight Moons)

"North."

The pair were instantly summoned to the vessel through a golden light. Inside, the magical sphere hummed as it migrated to the portal. "Won't take but a couple minutes."

She tapped along her chest, sensing the tool that they requested. Grimacing, she ran a finger down her sternum, stopping just below the bone. Hands flared, she tore open her open chest. "Arg... never liked having it here..." In the midst of the alchemical light, she retrieved a bronze mirror out her body. After staring in the reflection of the tin plate fixed on the mirror, she spoke "it involves the mirrors Tages and he created. "

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment

Writhing, Tages propped himself up with the dao blade. Pulling out from his pocket, a small red vial shined in an unnatural glow, whispering horrid thoughts in his mind. "Must. Stop. Homunculus." The mage dropped the sword as her trudged along. The last things he needs are problems on this side.

Homununculus chortled in his time with Evil Swix. "Haha-wheu! That's how I like -EARG!" The tendril bashed the maniacal monster into the trunk, dislocating several joints and snapping numerous tendons. "....Much better than flames or lightning... greatly appreciate your endeavor. How about a final act until the show starts!?"

Mirroring the Split's own style to a degree, the host's legs diverged from the main body. These two free tendrils hurdled themselves at ES's feet in attempt to bind her.

Mirror Lake

Miyuso attended to the spirit's condition. From her own sleeves, several multicolored snakes slithered out, coiling around the solid parts of Aino. The golem instead, simply listened to the conversation ahead.

"Stone, the one behind me?" He felt the smooth surface of the rock. The man took a few more seconds at examining it, "What about it? All I see is a giant stone arm sticking out of the ground, you foul lizard," his voice seething in rage. "I was trying to move somewhere out of the darkness, not attack anyone.... and when did this ice get here?"

#97

The Manticore moved to stay close to Alex. It had no idea what it was they were supposed to be doing, so he simply tailed her and mimed as she did so he wouldn't be left behind. When she cut herself open, he wrinkled his nose.

He had no idea who this "Tages" was, but he kept his ears open.

"What now?"

#98

The Encampment

ES's eye twitched when the Homunculus seemed to be enjoying her spinning him around, but there was an ever so faint smile when he yelled, at least something had worked.

She blinked at his next sentence however, "What are you going on about-GAH! Gerroff!" she yelled, as the Homunculus distorted legs caught her round the ankles and bound them together. What was he trying to do? He deserved another bash-so she sent her free tendril to smack him.

Mirror Lake

"Don't you see what is in front of you?" Permafrost asked curiosity, nowhere near as easy to rile up as his Mirror counterpart "And that 'rock' is a living thing, you and the others were hurting him. That's why I brought the Ice down"

Jent · #99

Pax (Eight Moons)

Alex took notice of the bewildered beast. "Tages, the Blue Mage, took it upon himself to recreate a tool used at the previous transmutation circle. Called the Reversing Mirror, it was a rare relic of the multiverse. It possessed strange properties: provided enough energy, it could transform nearly anything into its polar counterpart; even livings creatures." Gazing at the Manticore's reflection, she thumped at the image on it. "This mirror was vital to Nazo, his father. Near death himself, he wept at the enfeebled state of the Dojo, knowing full and well there was little he could do."

Nearing on completion of the tale, the solar vehicle shuddered to a halt. The once opaque room dissipated as steam, revealing a blanket of warm sand layering a sizable chunk of the the frozen landscape. Hills of said stuff formed mounds, encompassing the edges of the crystal lake. "He... did quite a bit of work here..."

"It was tiresome waiting for you both, Miss Valens."

Originating from the shoreline, a garbed in Persian robes approached them. This... man? ... Humanoid at the least, towered the Alex and the Manticore by a noticeable degree. "Welcome to the adjacent portal, has this woman been any trouble to you during your trip?" Irked, she motioned for an obscene gesture, but deterred by the long-haired man. "Ta', ta', better not cause more trouble. Otherwise I might be tempted to raise the cost of my service."

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment

Any joy in the parasite's face quickly fled, the inky appendage happened to sever his neck in the attack. However, her counter-move did not dissuade the animated limbs. Bones within the leg disorted themselves into piercing spines, infecting the dark blood stream with amorphous cells. "Keh. Not. That. Fun."

Bracing his spine, the he poorly reattached the nerves together, as the current host was nearing its physical limits. Homunculus swerved towards the Split in the manner of a dying worm. "A pity. Thought I would get to see with those eyes of yours. The next of my kind might be luckier than I," he lamented,

Face twitching, he felt the mage's prescience getting closer. Loathing the chance of being destroyed by him, the monster swelled the rest of wolf's body, organs to molecules vibrated rapidly as it pushed them to their last use.

Mirror Lake

"... I still cannot see anything else, Ice Dragon." The man's jaw dropped. He stuttered at the awful display, corpses held upright by the slowly melting ice. "Hwa? You mean.. I would never-" Dark vapors seeped from his pours, clouding his body and mind. "Melt the ice, they need to get free!"

#100

"The story about the mirror is... very nice and all, but what does that have to do with me?" The Manticore complained. "So, you have a lot of toys. I thought we were chasing your monster. Instead it seems you're half-kidnapping me, and half-bragging..."

The Manticore secretly really did think the mirror was neat, but he was beginning to feel particularly antsy. It had been already several hours since he killed something.

When they left the craft and entered an apparent desert oasis in the middle of the snow, the beast suddenly realized what the talk about the mirror could have been about. It was an impressive tool after all. Perhaps he could "liberate" it from these squares.

At the arrival of the new mam, the mythological monster's tail twitched in anticipation. Finally something he could try to kill... He had only made a deal with Alex after all.

"Who are you?" Asked the Manticore, poised to hive the man in robes a playful jab of lethal poison.

#101

ES didn't even grin this time when her attack worked, but blinked when he reattached his head. That seemed somehow unfair...

Then "AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!" she yelled, as piercing bony spines erupted from the faux tendrils that held her legs together tightly, piercing her flesh so many times it was a cacophony of pain, and exposing her bloodstream to the parasitic cells that had been forcibly injected into her body. She didn't even notice that all four of her tendrils had receded, or that she'd fallen onto her back on the floor as she clawed at her fleshy bonds trying to pull them off "Get it off! Get it off!"

Mirror Lake

Permafrost snorted "Tell me exactly what you 'can' see and I'll consider freeing them"

Jent · #102

Pax (Eight Moons)

Silently, the man motioned them to follow him. "His name is Aaron," Alex interjected. "Including one other, they helped prepare the portals on this side-" "For a price, mind you." Not pleased at her hurried attitude, he took the mirror from her.

"Yes, and it varies from client to client. As a mere human, I relied on different means to survive the transition from world to world. Namely through bartering," Aaron explained to the Manticore. "Those spirits that assisted Miss Valens were by my involvement. They are largely dissatisfied with the way you treated them recently, even bringing along a companion."

Arriving at the lake's edge, he tossed the mirror into the waters. "In speaking of which, I pray that tail is for show in this meeting. I would hate to forbid her from giving you the Philosophers' Stone."

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment

The bloated body flexed the freed arms, turning itself to greet the mage. "As much fun as this been, I must bid you a FAREWELL!" The homunculus evaded Tage's frantic fireball with ease. His insane laughter flooding the sky as he soared, dark vapors trailing behind him before resulting in a brief explosion.

The man, witnessing the dwarf's final stunt, rushed to aid the shrieking Split. "Calm down, I'll do what I can," said with a grated tone. Clutching the wound sites, blue energy spiraled outward across her legs. The sinister tissues were scraped off ES's skin whilst it repaired and cleansed it

Mirror Lake

The man held the strained stance for a few more seconds before receding. Facing the marble pillar, his smoky eyes diligently took in all he saw. "... I only see is white. Arm-looking stone sticking out of the ground," he said with great dread. "Whatever the rest of you can see, I cannot."

#103

ES gritted her teeth at Tages, she'd already developed something of a dislike for the man, but right now it was nothing compared to the animosity she held towards that creature. So she let him tend her wounds, instead opting to just sit there and stare at what he was doing.

"Can I let go of this thing now?" Mirror Swix called, warily.

Mirror Lake

Permafrost didn't really like the sound of what he was hearing, how could someone not see when their eyes appeared to be working? "What is that black vapour that is coming out of your mouths?"

#104

The Manticore listened to the two talk, watching the mirror move between them. When the new man tossed it into the lake, the mythical beast tucked his head in between his paws and waited.

"Well. Of course it's just for show. What kind of guest would I be if I killed one of you?" He offered a knowing smile, as his tail still twitched. "Don't wait on my behalf. By all means, meet away. I'm eager to listen."

Jent · #105

Pax (Eight Moons)

"Meet we might," the man replied. Reclining a shoulder on Alex in the manner of an armrest, the group begrudgingly waited by the lake. After a few minutes, a featureless spirit arose from the portal, with a reflective staff in its hand.

"The two declined visiting this world for the time being, Aaron. Neither he or his counterpart wish to bask in the heat as you enjoy to do," the spirit answered.

Sighing, he reached for the offering. "Their loss, I was hoping he would help me add a slip-n-slide," he chortled. "Never mind, best to explain these two of the mission." Addressing them, he stuck the end of the pole into the sand. Curious, Alex tapped at one of the tin mirrors, only to be stung by the tool's energy.

"Best you cats refrain from any more foolish tapping, alright? This here is a composite work of six of the twelve 'reversama mirry' replicas by the Blue Mage." Aaron spun the staff in the ground, each of the glass planels glittered off the square box on top. "As you know, Alchemist, that within each of these sides contains a simulacrum created by the Jentil, where all the simulacra possess characteristics of the people participating in the portals on the other side. Given that those on polar Kata denied coming along, you are required to use it."

Uprooting the staff, Alex gazed at the reflection before swiveling it between her hand. "So what, is this going to track him?" she questioned.

"Correct, and by the looks of it, you two don't need to travel as far you thought."

Indicating at the glowing staff, Alex realized where he meant. The tool tugged upwards in her grip, pointing high in the stormy clouds above. Seems like they were being sent on a suicidal run.

Pax (Dual Planets)

Encampment

"That's the best I can do for now."

Finishing off her legs with a moistened bandages, Tages beckoned Mirror Swix. "Yes, the monster killed itself in the stalemate. Also, bring my other sword I dropped." To her evil side, he offered a hand to get up. "The Homunculus splintered some of its cellular matrix inside your bloodstream. Inert, though I be careful if another comes by."

Drifting in the winds, the remaining particles of smokes scattered itself through the Encampment and surrounding area. Unstable, the dust vibrated itself between reality, slowly condensing in the upper atmosphere...

Mirror Lake

"Vapor? I don't understand what you mean, dragon."

Interrupting Permafrost's remark, the graikos chimed in. "The darkness could be cloaking itself from its vectors. The fact both the smog and crystals are invisible to him and not us implies something. Miyuso?"

The woman looked at the group in a steamy stare, "this infection excludes the source from the host's line of sight. As in viruses, the most profitable means is self-sustaining. Why destroy your home when you can live of its resources for as long as possible?" Parting a gentle hug to Aino, she stood up. "The darkness... definitely not biological in function. It only leaves the mind and the soul, as for what it is... is it going to rain? Look, it is getting dark near the Encampment."